DAISY JONES & THE SIX -- A Fun Music Industry Melodrama

Review by Sean Boelman

Daisy Jones & The Six was one of the most anticipated new series of the year thanks to a combination of popular source material, a great cast, and a premise that absolutely rules. The show ends up feeling like the cinematic equivalent of “easy listening”: well-made and fun to watch, if not particularly provocative.

The series follows the rise and fall of a fictional rock band in the LA music scene in the ‘70s, as they go through a series of internal and external turmoils that threaten to tear the group apart. It’s shot in a mockumentary format — a framing device which neither hurts nor helps for the most part, but does make it feel a little less overly nostalgic.

The show is ten episodes long, each clocking in at around 45 minutes in length, for a total of around seven to eight hours of content. And honestly, the show could have benefitted from being an hour or two shorter by cutting a few episodes. Still, it’s such an entertaining watch that it’s hard to fault it for taking its time.

The only thing holding the show back is the fact that it’s extremely shallow. It honestly takes until the last episode for the emotional stakes to really kick in, with the other nine episodes feeling heavily melodramatic. The show is still enjoyable, but it’s a slightly trashy, almost soap opera kind of enjoyable — not the meaningful portrait of artistry that this is so clearly trying to be.

That said, the series doesn’t give us any shortage of memorable, larger-than-life characters. The novel’s writer, Taylor Jenkins Reid, has gone on record talking about how heavily influenced the story was by Fleetwood Mac — and it’s clear. Yet, despite the often selfish and superficial choices these rock stars make, there’s something ineffably charming about them.

The performances are also extraordinary. Riley Keough and Sam Claflin absolutely bring the house down as the two leads. It feels as if they are constantly trying to one-up each other, trying to see who can give the better performance, and the show is all the better for it. They are both acting at such a high caliber that they begin to embody these characters. The supporting cast is also strong, with good turns from Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, and Josh Whitehouse.

Of course, what is a great show about the ‘70s without amazing music and production design? The songs in the show are wonderful and very catchy, although they are fewer in number than they should have been. And the look of the show — from the hairstyling to the costuming and the sets — is super immersive.

Daisy Jones & The Six is a fun little series, and while it’s often more sentimental than meaningful, fans will still love the juicy drama it has to offer. This is sure to be the next big hit on streaming, as the internet will be set ablaze by its whirlwind of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

Daisy Jones & The Six streams on Prime Video beginning March 2. All ten episodes reviewed.

Rating: 3.5/5